Shane Lowry: ‘It would be nice to hang a gold medal on the Claret Jug’

Lowry described the emotion of receiving his Team Ireland uniform last week after confirmation of his qualification for the Olympics

Kilkenny hurlers Walter Walsh, left, and Joey Holden share a light moment with Shane Lowry  at the Pro-Am at Mount Juliet. Picture: Ramsey Cardy

An Olympic medal to go with the Claret Jug would represent a healthy return for Shane Lowry’s efforts this month and the major winner spoke yesterday of how driven he is to achieve success in Tokyo.

Lowry, 34, will in two weeks have to return to the R&A the original Claret Jug he won in style at Royal Portrush in 2019 and which has been in his possession ever since due to the Covid pandemic and postponement of the 149th Open from last July at Royal St George’s to this. Yet an Olympic medal would be his to keep and would sit nicely atop the replica Claret Jug he is entitled to as a former Open champion.